Short Paddling Adventures

Suonttajoki River and Lake Ounasjärvi Openwater Paddle

This fun but very relaxing outing, through beautiful nature, starts at our farm, where we kit you out with paddles and bouyancy aids (included). We will then accompany you, on foot, to the put-in point on the Suonttajoki River, c. 5 mins from our base, where we have 2 x 3-seater canoes waiting.

The small starting lake at the put-in is the perfect place for beginners to try out paddling techniques and to figure out how to get the boats to go in a straight line. For the more experienced paddler, there might be the option to try out out some of our tippier craft, (K1s etc) and if so, it is also the ideal spot to figure out how to stay upright!

As soon as the straight line has been mastered, it is time to meander down a very windy river. You will glide gently through reeds and bullrushes backwards and forwards down the river mouth until you reach Lake Ounasjärvi itself. By that time, you will no doubt feel confident enough to tackle its open waters and head across to its far shore.

Our guided tours stop for a quick picnic break at our wilderness cabins on the far shores. This is a great place for picking berries and even featured in the New York Times with photos of cloudberry collection followed by jam making!

NB: If you prefer to do this paddle unaccompanied, we will give you advice and maps and some tips on nice places to stop on the lake, and will anyway accompany you to the put-in to see that everything starts smoothly. Kayaks can also be hired for paddling on this placid section of water but they are not kept in situ, so please warn us ahead of time if this is your preferred craft.

If you have chosen the facilitated vs the guided paddle, you can simply leave the boats on the shore on return and we will go back down to secure them once we have collected in your equipment.

Facilitated Journey Price: €20 / person for canoes (based on 2-3 people per canoe) and €40 / person per kayak. NB: The cost is higher than for the basic canoe rental cost because of the time needed to accompany you (and sometimes the boats) to the river put-in, to explain the maps, and to re-secure the boats at the end of the day.

Includes: Map and route advice including a recommended place for making fires and grilling sausages at the far shore of Lake Ounasjärvi, the rent of the canoe, paddle and buoyancy aid and a guide who takes you down to either guide you or to show you the put-in and explain where to put the canoe or kayak upon return.

Lake Muotkajärvi to Lake Ounasjärvi

To start this journey, we travel by car from the farm to the put in place on Lake Muotkajärvi, c. 4km by road from our farm. Once on the water, you will have a chance to get to grips with your craft before heading into the narrow strait / isthmus connecting the two large lakes. At some times of the year, this small river runs fairly fast so we will get out to have a look at the rapid and to talk through how to position your boat as you make the descent. Later on, in the summer, it may become shallow so we will again talk through how to approach any obstacles in the path.

After this short exhillerating ride, you have one more narrow point to negotiate, under a bridge, before the waters open again onto Lake Ounasjärvi. At the far shore, we will stop for lunch in a Finnish holiday cabin and climb up behind the cabin for a great view of the whole lake area. We return to the farm via the small, beautiful Suonttajoki river which meanders along in-between reed-filled banks to a secluded take-out lake c. 700m from our farm.